GROUND transportation is responsible for almost a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions globally, and accounts for approximately 40 percent of emissions in British Columbia. A new Simon Fraser University-led study on driving down vehicle emissions, lays out a roadmap that is based on evidence of which road transport policies, or combinations of policies, are currently working.

The in-depth evaluation by Jonn Axsen, a professor in SFU’s School of Resource and Environmental Management and collaborators Michael Wolinetz, an SFU adjunct professor, and Patrick Plötz, from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany, was published on Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Funded by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, the study identifies three regulations that need to lead the way if we are to meet prospective climate goals: vehicle emission standards, low-carbon fuel standards, and a Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) sales mandate. Complementary measures include road pricing and other efforts to improve active travel and public transit, as well as smart growth in cities.